Bangkok: Dr. Warong Dechgitvigrom, leader of the Thai Bhakdi Party and Member of Parliament, has called upon Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Pipat Ratchakitprakarn, to provide an explanation regarding the disappearance of 700 million liters of oil, alleging corruption worth tens of billions of baht. Dr. Warong cautioned that failure to resolve this issue could lead to serious legal consequences for the minister.
According to Thai News Agency, Dr. Warong held a press conference to address the concerns raised in a recent session of the House of Representatives about the high diesel prices and fuel shortages affecting the nation. He highlighted that the critical issue is not just the price of fuel but the significant disappearance of fuel from the national system, citing this as an act of corruption during a period of public hardship. Dr. Warong presented data from the Department of Energy Business, contradicting the Prime Minister's previous statement of a 67 million liters daily consumption, revealing that between mid-to-end March, 600 to 700 million liters of diesel were unaccounted for.
Dr. Warong pointed out the discrepancy in fuel delivery numbers, noting an increase from 51 million liters daily in January to almost 70 million liters during the crisis period, despite public reports of shortages and rationing. He questioned the authenticity of the government's claims of public fuel conservation and suggested that the missing fuel might indicate a "phantom" shortage. The inspection of the midstream oil sector, which showed no hoarding, led him to suspect possible misreporting by upstream companies or refineries.
The Department of Special Investigation, along with the Ministry of Energy, has taken up the matter as a special case, planning to investigate vehicle transit routes. Dr. Warong criticized this approach, advocating for a more straightforward accounting comparison to verify discrepancies in reported figures between refineries, depots, and gas stations. He urged the Prime Minister and Mr. Pipat to address these allegations in Parliament promptly, warning that continued avoidance would only strengthen public suspicion of oil theft.
Dr. Warong emphasized the importance of resolving this issue early in the government's term to maintain its credibility and ability to govern. He warned that if the investigative bodies need to intervene, ministers involved could potentially face imprisonment.